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Solarfox: it takes two
Written by Martes
In memory of Mitofox
I am not exactly an extroverted person, but just like any artist I suffer from sudden brain rot for a certain character. There are just so many awesome artists and characters out there that it's hard just to keep going without saying something. But you feel awful when you can't think of anything else to say other than 'I love it', you feel it's not enough. So you rather not say anything. Who are you anyway? A random guy on the internet who can't even think of an original compliment? There was a period when some of my favorite artists were complaining no one read their art or they were just quitting for external reasons. It made me feel invisible. It is too late now to compliment Mitofox, whom I never met or interacted with (I know it's a commission). But I still decided to write this short story because it was a source of inspiration. I this story brings a little life to this characters.
Picture this:
You come home from school. You have that awful homework nobody wants to do. You are going to do it anyway, just not now. Not before lunch. So you get into the sofa and turn on the TV. Your parents aren't home yet, or perhaps they are busy cooking. The point is that now's your chance to watch something without being interrupted. They're broadcasting Solarfox, great! You like this show. It's somewhat recent, a little bit silly, but still cool. It's one of those middle episodes that doesn't play a great role in the season, but your friends told you it had the beginning of something. This story is that episode.
I
“Having trouble smashing an insect, Kilowasp?”
A fist, the size of a car, smashed the spot where the fox had been seconds before. The superhero soared into the air to get a better view of the giant wasp, almost as tall as the buildings beside it.
“I'll stomp on you so hard you'll be a pulp, Solarfox!”
“Only if you have enough energy!”
The fox clenched his fists, summoning the sun’s power and creating energy spheres that he hurled at the criminal's face. Taking advantage of his distraction, Solarfox flew at full speed and hit the back of his knees. Kilowasp staggered. Solarfox went back up and punched him in the face. The wasp lost his balance and stumbled. Before crashing into the ground, there was a bang, and Kilowasp shrunk to the size of a pencil.
“I'll show you energy saving!” His little voice shrieked over the hum of his wings.
Quick as a spark, the villain approached the fox and unleashed a torrent of electric stings on his chest. Small needles compared to the large, tough muscles of the pyromite.
“Adorable,” Solarfox sneered, holding out a palm and sending his foe flying with a simple solar blast.
Kilowasp crashed into the ground, back to his normal height. He stumbled in fright as the superhero landed in front of him.
“Oh no, you didn’t! I'll show you adora-AAAA!”
The wasp shuddered before collapsing. The electrical absorption device thrown at him sealed itself behind. Two meta unit officers rushed to arrest the wasp with anti-power handcuffs. They carried him by the armpits, but the villain no longer had the strength to protest.
“Just in time, guys.”
“Going to take care of the horde?” One officer asked, tilting his head toward the reporters who were already pushing through perimeter barriers and scuffling with police.
“Nah. You can take care of them" the fox replied, soaring into the air. “This villain isn't worth it.”
“HEeeEy!” Kilowasp yawned, exhausted.
The officers waved goodbye at the superhero, who vanished in the glimmer of a window.
Solarfox reappeared high up in the sky. He let the wind sway him as he stretched out his arms and legs for the warm embrace of the sun to envelop him. The fight with Kilowasp hadn’t taken a lot from him, though he preferred to have full backup energy, both in his body and his suit. Just in case.
The fox gazed at the city below, his heart swelling with joy. It was a clear day, the sun shining on the skyscraper’s windows and the many water surfaces. Sunny days, clear skies, wide open spaces, and shimmering surfaces. An ideal place for a pyromite. Solarfox had been lucky to stumble upon that faraway planet.
He enjoyed seeing himself on surfaces before reflex-porting to his secret lair in the city. Not because he was vain. He did it to understand what the earthlings saw in him. Gwen's voice echoed in his head every time he approached a window. Describing his sunsuit, the red cape hanging down his back, his unusually warm smile, and his imposing presence. That and his incredible powers. ‘I suppose I can understand that,’ thought Solarfox as he flew over the landscape. It was natural in his home planet Pyros to possess all those powers. Even the youngest cubs knew the glory of flying. However, on Earth, or so it was usually the rule, no one could fly or project energy. Maybe that's why they looked at him with wonder when he did his duty.
Earthlings and pyromites were not so different despite the stars between them. He just had to take off his suit and replace it with casual clothes to blend in with them. He had found it unbelievable that Earth's foxes couldn't even reflex-port, or that meta officers faced villains with nothing but uniforms, weapons, and training. He loved it, though. Walking, strolling, eating like them. Like one of them. He was happy when he sat with his friends and didn't do anything in particular, because everything was, somehow, special. Being just another earthling and protecting that place as Solarfox made him feel like he was truly at home.
Something snapped him out of his reverie. A bright flash in the sky. It came from outer space and was heading toward Earth. Toward Mirage City. Straight to him. The hero stared in shock at that unique signature of energy. ‘It's impossible!’ he thought. It wasn't a star or a meteorite. Surprise paralyzed him. He didn't think of doing anything until the projectile hit and dragged him into a lake on the outskirts of the city.
In his confusion, the fox fought against the boiling water as the heat of the impact cooled down. Something clung to him with extraordinary strength. When he managed to distinguish up from down through the steam, he was left speechless. It was much worse than a meteorite.
“Light! Brother!” exclaimed Sunshine, or Sun, as he used to call his brother since he was just a pup.
II
“You have a brother?!” Daniel shouted, incredulous.
The tiger didn't blink, as if he was seeing something fantastic. Didn’t Earth have brothers too? Beside that burly body, the rabbit looked considerably smaller, but Gwen's composure made up for it, by a lot.
“He’s Sun,” Light introduced. “Sun, they're my friends: Daniel and Gwen.”
“A glorious honor to meet Sunlight's friends,” Sun smiled, placing a hand in his heart.
The young fox resumed his flitting around the room, admiring the earthly curiosities. He laughed like a child at the sight of forks, clocks, napkins, and cupboards. Daniel turned ecstatically in his seat so as not to lose sight of him for a moment. Gwen distanced herself from the tiger, accustomed to such an attitude.
“So he's your…oldest brother?”
“Sun was born two solar cycles after me,” Light growled bitterly, slumping into an armchair.
“What?!” Daniel bursted into laughter.
Sun's fur was lighter than Light's, yellowish instead of reddish. Other than that, the brothers were almost identical. By a trick of the light (it had to be, in Light’s opinion), Sun looked bigger. His pectorals wider, his biceps thicker and the bulge between his legs, more suggestive.
“Why is his suit different from yours?” Daniel noticed.
Both foxes wore the same type of legless one-piece leotard with matching boots. However, while Light's was silver in the center and red on the sides, Sun's was red in the center and white on the sides, with golden accents. In addition, his cloak was white, instead of red, fastened by a clasp around his neck: the Pyros emblem. The same one Light had on his belt, only bigger and more magnificent.
“It's the Solar Knights’ suit,” Sun explained, perching on the back of the armchair and hugging his brother's head between his legs. “It is awarded to those who pass an arduous test of courage, power, and heart. We are trained in more exclusive arts and develop new skills and powers.”
“And you didn't pass it?" Daniel asked Light.
“Don't remind me.”
“Very few do,” Sun continued. “Only the strongest, most skilled, and most powerful pyromites make it. It's a rare thing, actually. No one has passed the test in a long time. But I did! I mastered a rare power and finished the training in just one cycle.”
Light's face drooped in annoyance. Daniel got up, licking his whiskers, and walked over to Sun, leaning over the eldest son.
“Very impressive, congratulations. How about I give you an Earth-style welcome? You know: show you the place, show you what your brother didn't want.”
The tiger placed one hand on Sun's pectoral and the other on his bulge, giving him a friendly squeeze. Sun blushed.
“Oh. Is it an Earth tradition or are you trying to woo me into performing a sexual pleasure ritual?”
“Earth tradition, one hundred percent. It's almost mandatory.”
Sun was visibly disappointed.
“What a pity. I would have liked it to be special. I find you sexually attractive.”
Light removed the heartbroken tiger's erection from his face and got out of the way. Gwen walked over to shake Sun's hand.
“It's nice to meet you, welcome to Earth. Would you like a real welcome gift? I can dye your hair just like Light’s. I'm a stylist.”
When Gwen welcomed him into the building, Light had accepted her show of affection a little reluctantly. There were no such arrangements in Pyros, and it seemed most strange to him, though he ended up adopting the gesture as a symbol of friendship. A simple fringe on the front in bright red, similar to that of his suit. When he saw it, he remembered that he had friends and that they accepted him as one of them.
“Light explained to me how special the pyromite body is,” Gwen said, “and how much you appreciate natural beauty. I can do something small and...”
“Are you kidding?! Yes, I would love to! What other colors do you have? Can you paint my whole head, my body?”
Gwen took the excited Sunshine by the hand and carried him around like a talking balloon. Daniel recovered from his failure and followed them out the door.
“Man, your brother is amazing. You must be glad he came all the way from Pyros to see you.”
"Woohoo.”
III
Sun wasn't satisfied with having completely dyed his scalp cerulean, but kept asking questions that Gwen and Daniel happily answered. The energetic fox absorbed earthly habits faster than Light ever could. In the days following his arrival, he was already pretending to be just another earthling, disguised in their clothes and tagging along with his friends on daily chores. Tasting food, visiting attractions. He had even chosen a name when he learned of his brother's heroic role in the city: Solarvulp.
“Yes, Light is like the grumpiest in Pyros,” Sun explained as the four of them ate at the table.
“I think I know what you mean,” Daniel laughed. “Your planet must be full of Flanders.”
“I don't understand,” Sun replied, tilting his head in confusion.
Daniel opened his mouth but decided not to explain. Gwen finished filing the fox's nails.
“You’re all ready.”
“They’re beautiful!”
An alarm went off at that moment. Light and Daniel jumped out of their seats to the computer they had at a reserved desk. Gwen became abnormally serious. Noticing the change in the atmosphere like a bucket of cold water, Sun remained alert, without getting in the way.
“It's the meta crime alert,” Light explained.
“There's a robbery at a jewelry in Polaris District,” the tiger reported.
“We were there yesterday! Near the ice cream store,” Gwen exclaimed, much to Light's dismay.
But it was too late.
“Allow me go with you, brother!” Sun pleaded.
“No. Stay here.”
“Please, I can help.”
“It's too dangerous. We're talking about a real criminal. I can't face him and protect you-“
“I’m eighteen cycles, Light. I'm not a kid anymore. I can take care of myself.”
Light went silent, taken aback by this new reaction in his brother. He exchanged glances with his friends, who didn't know how to intervene. He sighed.
“Fine. But stay behind me and do what I tell you.”
Sun jumped into the air excitedly. Light rolled his eyes. He stretched out a hand and used the mirror by the window to reflex-port towards the city.
The wall exploded. From the cloud of dust and debris emerged a burly figure.
“Stop right there!” A policeman exclaimed, pointing his gun.
A big badger came out into the street. He had a long, shaggy black mohawk in the middle of two white stripes. He wore a black spiked vest and torn pants. His right eye was in the center of a red star. His thick biceps tightened as he carried the sack full of jewelry. The police took shelter behind the doors of their vehicles.
“Put your hands in the air and kneel!”
“Bloodwrath kneels to no one!”
He raised a hand, and the policemen writhed to the ground, overcome with sudden pain. A solar blast struck in front of the badger, breaking the spell. Solarfox descended, standing between the villain and the cops, pointing a charged fist at him.
“Back off and alert the meta unit,” he ordered.
“Run, run, now that the sunny is here to save the day,” Bloodwrath sneered at the authorities' retreat.
“And he's not alone!”
A blast hit the badger.
“What are you doing?!” Light barked at his brother.
Before he could answer, Bloodwrath got up unharmed. He trembled in euphoria. His eyes glistened red, and fine electric shocks of the same color ran through his body.
“Go ahead, kids: make me angry.”
He threw a fist in the air and a bolt of lightning exploded. Solarfox shoved his brother just in time to receive the attack instead. He was thrown backwards, lying on the ground, writhing in spasms of pain. Sun threw other two blasts, however, the badger resurfaced even more recharged. The fox rose into the air, worried. Bloodwrath threw a whip-like bolt of lightning that snagged with thousands of ramifications on the young fox, then spun him around and smashed him into a building. Solarfox slowly crawled up. He raised a trembling arm and fired a blast. He leapt to the side to dodge another volley of Bloodwrath.
“I can do this all day! The more you anger me, the stronger I become!”
‘Anger is his source of power!’ Solarfox thought. He fired another blast, this time aimed at his feet. The badger stumbled. Seizing his opportunity, the hero rose to survey the terrain. Would it work to get him soaked to upset his mood? Could he use the ground pipes? No, too dangerous and it could only make him angrier. Pretend to get defeated and let the joy of success drown out his powers? Interesting, but just as risky. The best option would be to tire him out and use only physical attacks.
Sun emerged from the rubble of the building and resumed his torrents of blasts.
“No! Stop, stop!” Solarfox shouted.
The older brother rammed the younger one in the air and wrestled to stop him. Sun was no longer the pup he used to play with as a child. The superhero had to use all his strength to contain him. As the brothers fought each other, Bloodwrath stood up with his hair standing on end. With a roar, he launched a powerful bolt of lightning that struck the foxes.
It was all pain for a fraction of time that seemed eternal. Light was aware of every fiber of his body, splintered and stuck into his flesh like broken glass. He saw red branches. Nerves? Veins? Electricity? No. It was pain. It was all pain.
Suddenly it stopped, and Solarfox collapsed to the ground, motionless as a ragdoll. He was on the verge of unconsciousness. He forced himself to ignore the sweet temptation of sleep and got up. The aftermath of the pain was much worse. His muscles tensed and failed with a life of their own. He was shaking uncontrollably. He crawled up to his brother's motionless figure and shook him, roughly.
“Sun, get up!”
“What... What happened?” Sun whimpered.
“The villain escaped. Get up! He cannot have gone far.”
“Don't worry, brother. This time we will succeed!” the young fox managed to articulate despite the pain.
‘What the hell are you talking about?!’ burst Light in his mind. How was it possible that his brother continued to have such an attitude despite having caused all that? He should feel ashamed and beg for his forgiveness. If he had listened to him, they would have captured the criminal. It was his fault and yet he had the guts to tell him, him! Solarfox!, to put on a smile and not give up. Light closed his eyes and controlled his breathing. Surely Bloodwrath's powers enhanced anger in others: he had to control himself.
“Let's go,” he snapped at his brother, lifting himself off the ground.
It didn't take long for them to find Bloodwrath. He fled on foot. The police tried to hold back his advance as much as the range of his powers would allow, however, the new energy pushed them back without much resistance.
“Stay behind this time!” Solarfox ordered.
The fox descended and fired toward a fire hydrant, releasing a torrent of water that pushed the badger away. He then sent a couple more blasts toward the buildings next to him so that the rubble would buy him more time. He had to tire him out.
‘He's not immune to physical attacks,’ Sun noted as he watched Bloodwrath take cover in the rubble and renew his fierce attacks with a roar. He landed. He placed his hands on the ground and bowed, one knee close to his chest, the other leg extended. He took a deep breath and let the warmth of the sun completely envelop him.
“Sun, no!”
What happened then left Light speechless.
Sun ran.
Suddenly, he had become a trail of light moving at an incredible speed. Bloodwrtah couldn't land a single blow on him. Everywhere he looked, Sun had already been there. He looked around frightened as the wake circled him. The last thing he saw was a yellowish fox with cerulean hair punching him in the face.
Bloodwrath flew backwards and no longer moved from the ground.
“What was that?” Light asked incredulously, landing beside his brother.
“Light speed,” Sun replied with a big smile. “It was the rare power I was talking about when I passed the Solar Knights’ test.”
It didn't take long for the meta unit and reporters to appear. As two officers picked up the badger, a parrot approached Sun with her cameraman.
“And once again, thanks to the efforts of our heroes, Mirage City is safe. Who do I have the pleasure with?” She asked Sun.
“With Solarvulp, of course! I'm L... Solarfox’s brother. I'm coming to visit, and while I'm here this city will have another guardian. It's for TV, right? I've heard a lot about that invention. Hi!”
“And there you have it, folks. Solarvulp. The new hero of Mirage City. With new powers, new costume, and a new face. A big brother of us all!”
IV
“Light, brother, wait!
It was getting late. The sky turned blue as the last remnants of orange remained trapped in the building’s windows. Light emerged from the mirror by the window. His footsteps sounded unusually hard against the floor. Sun suddenly appeared and grabbed his arm.
“What's wrong?”
“What's wrong? What's wrong?! I'll tell you what's wrong! All my life I've worked twice as hard as everyone else to achieve the bare minimum. I work hard, fight criminals, and break my back to get a little of what others have, but does anyone care? No! It's not enough, it's never enough! It took me months to make a name for myself, to be respected, to make friends. To stop being considered an alien invader, to stop being seen with fear in their eyes. But you... You just come along and take everything away from me! Little Sun, perfect Sun. Do you know what it's like to sleep in the rain? Not having a golden roof over your head? If you had obeyed me, none of this would have happened!
Sun backed away.
“I just wanted to help.”
Light hit his hand off him.
“Well, I don’t need your help! Everything you do only makes it worse!”
Sun's ears retreated, however, his brow furrowed and he stopped taking steps backwards.
“Me? I've accomplished more than you in your entire life! While you are bitter and proud, I know the value of being cheerful. Do you think it's easy? I work much harder than you and I don't expect anything in return, not even a thank you. But that's not enough for you either. You couldn't rejoice for me even if your life depended on it! If I'm bothering you so much, why don't I just leave, huh? Now that would make you happy!”
“Oh sure, so you can go tell everyone how horrible I am and how I kicked you off the planet. You know what? Why don't you stay and take my place? Then you'll have something new to steal!”
“You're the worst brother ever!”
“I hate you!”
Sun ran to the balcony and flew towards the city, tears falling into the void. Light glared angrily at Daniel and Gwen, who shrank at his gaze.
V
Paperwork for criminals heading to the Iron Manor wasn't especially complicated. The simple fact of having powers was almost an immediate ticket. However, they had to reduce the chances of intrusion and escape to a minimum, so no one new came in until the cells were custom-fitted.
Kilowasp and Bloodwrath were facing each other, pinned to the wall of the vehicle. The officers of the meta unit were driving the truck up the slope towards the prison. The area was unpopulated, surrounded by a thick pine forest. The entire area, the size of a small state, was restricted and guarded. For that reason, it was not uncommon to drive on lonely and dark roads. An accident had never happened. No one would expect one.
There was an explosion and the truck was thrown off the road. The vehicle ended up wrecked next to a clearing in the woods. The officers groaned, falling unconscious in their seats. The prisoners' restraints were opened with a mechanical snap and they both crawled out of the accident.
Standing in the middle of the clearing was a dark figure. Even when the full moon lit up the forest, neither of the two criminals could make out any detail. However, there was an unpleasant feeling. They knew they wouldn't like what they would see behind the mask.
“Don't think we owe you anything,” Bloodwrath spat. “I don't care who you are, if you plan to blackmail me, I have no problem with escaping from prison myself.”
“That worked well for robbing a jewelry store.”
The cold voice made the badger's hair stand on end. He managed to turn his terror into anger and threw a bolt of lightning at the figure. The lightning struck something, and Bloodwrath felt himself being pulled. When the glow faded, the figure was holding a long crystal tube that glowed with the same crimson light as the lightning.
“I, on the other hand, have bigger plans.”
“What do you want from us?” Kilowasp stammered.
“Help you reach your full potential,” the figure replied, dropping the tube. The object rolled across the ground toward the criminals, revealing with its red light more devices that the criminals had not seen. “And all I ask in return is that you destroy Solarfox.”
The wasp and the badger exchanged glances.
“Are you OK?”
“No.”
For a superhero who wielded the power of the sun, Light seemed bleaker than the corner he was in. Gwen went into his room anyway and turned on the lights. She didn't expect that to improve his mood, though at least she wouldn't stumble. She sat down at the foot of the bed.
“You're not going to like what I'm going to tell you-”
“Don't say it.”
“...but I'll do it anyway: you owe your brother an apology.”
Light gave her a fiery glance under a stone-hard frown. The rabbit continued.
“I won't tell you that crap about having to behave like the big brother or taking the first step. No one knows what's going on better than you, especially inside your head. What I will tell you is that Sun is one of the greatest people I've ever met in my life and that he was very happy to visit his brother on a planet on the other side of the galaxy.”
The fox pretended not to hear her.
“I used to get along very well with my sister. We were best friends. It only took the wrong word at the wrong time for the relationship to fracture completely. So many years broken in a single instant.”
This time, Light had the decency to look her in the eye. His frown lacked strength.
“Fix it, Light. He doesn’t have to die for it to be too late.”
The meta crime alert went off from the living room. They both went to see it and gasped in horror. Kilowasp walked over the woods as if it were a scale model. The Iron Manor looked like a dollhouse in comparison.
“I thought he couldn't become that big!” Gwen exclaimed.
“He can't. Not without a great and constant source of energy.”
He turned on the sound of reporters in the helicopters.
“... heading to the maximum security prison. Authorities are on alert to prevent a mass breakout. We're informed that Solarfox's attempts to confront both villains have so far failed.”
“Both villains?” Gwen put both hands to her mouth.
A tiny yellow dot shot a torrent of blasts toward the giant. If paid attention, a cerulean spot could be seen.
“Sun,” Light exhaled, before running to the window.
VI
His attacks had no effect whatsoever. Sun sucked up the last reserves of solar energy stored in his suit and tried to stay away from the gigantic hands that wanted to seize him.
“Am I worthy of your attention now, Solarfox?” Burst Kilowasp's voice.
“That's not Solarfox! That’s only his cheap replica, he didn’t even bother to show up,” Bloodwrath said, appearing over the villain's shoulder.
He wore a strange kind of backpack, similar to the enlarged replica of the wasp’s, with two protruding tubes lit up like rubies. The badger's emitted fine propulsion flames that kept him suspended in the air. His own jet pack.
“You!” Sun growled.
The fox rushed at the badger. To his surprise, Bloodwrath went to meet him and struck him in the face. He then continued to ram at him until the hero recoiled in fear. Each attack Bloodwrath delivered brought him more pleasure than the last, and the anger never ceased! On the contrary, it felt as if he was becoming more powerful. When the fox tried to run away, Kilowasp surprised him with a slap that sent him back to the badger. Bloodwrath tore the air with a lightning bolt so powerful Sun was suspended in place.
His scream was lost behind the villain's frantic laughter. Suddenly, an intense light blinded him. Bloodwrath was ejected by a beam so powerful that it even dazzled the wasp. The lightning bolt shattered, and Sun plummeted into the void. Light caught him mid-air and disappeared into the shadows of the forest below.
“Where did you go?” Kilowasp shouted, blinking to brush the spots off his vision. “You won't be able to hide for long!”
The helicopters hovering around flew back as the giant stretched out his arms.
Light landed and rested his brother on a tree trunk.
“Sun! Sun! Talk to me!”
Nothing. He placed his ear on his chest. Silence. Wait! There was something, it was weak.
“Sun, please. Talk to me, brother.” His voice broke.
He grabbed Sun by the shoulders and shook him. His head fell back, his arms hung limp, he hugged his brother and emitted as much solar energy as he could, so much so that the leaves at his feet were singed. He still didn't answer.
The crying came first. The shudder next.
Sun woke up with a jolt. Light couldn't look him in the eye because Sun clung to him and didn't let him go. He was crying and didn't stop his voice from being shattered. Light hugged him and wept with him, pouring out all his pain and relief, all his worry and fear, all his resentment and bitterness in that crying.
It took them a while to pull themselves together enough to speak. Kilowasp's footsteps were like distant thunder.
“I’m…m…s…so…rry,” Sun sobbed. “It’s all my fault.”
“N.. No. I-”
“I thought I could do it, but it was too much for me and I didn't know what to do and…and...”
“No! Sun, this is all my fault. I... I can't lose you. You're cool and funny and powerful and...better than me. Better than I could ever be.”
“I'm a farce,” Sun moaned. “Everyone thinks I'm up to the challenge, but I still feel like I'm a kid and...”
Light pressed him against himself and waited for his breaths to get under control.
“I'm sorry I didn't realize how hard you've worked,” Sun whispered. “I've always admired you. Making your own path, choosing your destiny. I've done the same things you did because I wanted to be more like you.”
“Sun, I was upset because I know you are, and will be, better than I can ever will. Look at you! Eighteen cycles and you're already a solar knight. I was jealous of you and I'm so sorry. I didn't mean anything I yelled at you. You can do great things, I know you can! And whatever you do, I'll be the happiest just being your brother.”
In that last embrace, they brought their chests together and felt both hearts beating free of bitterness. Light helped his brother to his feet. They wiped away their tears and looked at the reddish glow that shone in the treetops.
“Bloodwrath must be related to that energy. Those backpacks…” Light analyzed. “His energy must be the source Kilowasp uses to maintain his size. We can't use brute force with Kilowasp nor our powers with Bloodwrath.”
“We must break the connection,” Sun said. “If the giant stops receiving power, it will no longer be a problem.”
“We must distract him anyway. Even at his normal height he is a threat.”
“I'll follow your plan this time, brother.”
“No. I need you Sun. I need my little brother back. Can I trust the solar knight Solarvulp to take care of the giant?”
Sun's eyes regained that sparkle of childlike wonder that Light realized he loved.
“Leave the badger to me. I have an idea, listen...”
“Come out!” Kilowasp burst out.
“I don't think they will,” Bloodwrath said, fluttering around his head. “Let's wrap this up.”
A solar blast hit the jet pack, destabilizing the badger. Solarfox flew in front of the moon, his cloak fluttering in the air and both fists charged like little suns in the night. Bloodwrath regained control and lunged at him. Both figures flew at full speed around the prison: one orange and the other red, shooting lightning bolts.
“Hey, don't shoot!” Solarvulp exclaimed to the lookouts in one of the prison towers as he descended. “I need your help.”
Kilowasp kept his eyes on the flying figures, unsure of what to do. Then he noticed how the searchlights of one of the towers deviated from him and illuminated a lake in the middle of the forest. “What?” the villain wondered. “Doesn't matter. I'd rather do this myself instead of standing here like an idiot.” Kilowasp strode up the slope, trees creaking at every step, ready to strike a blow at the thick walls. Then Solarvulp dived from the tower and tackled the giant's abdomen.
The wasp staggered, feeling a punch in the stomach. He bent over, and when he looked up, he ran into the little blue-haired fox.
“You're not even Solarfox!” He exclaimed offended. “Am I not enough of a threat yet?”
“He's not alone anymore, and you won't be disappointed,” Solarvulp replied, his eyes glowing bright yellow.
Solarfox dodged the frantic lightning bolts that Bloodwrath hurled at him. The badger was laughing like a madman, mouth foaming. ‘Something’s wrong,’ the fox noticed. He flew up and launched himself toward the searchlighted lake. Small flashes of light bounced from the water into the trees. Bloodwrath caught him mid-flight.
“Want to take a night dip, sunny? Fine. I'll help you.”
Bloodwrath dragged Solarfox at full speed into the water. Light had the badger's claws buried in his arms, directly injecting the shocks of pain into him. The wind whipped at his back the faster they headed toward the surface that would break his back.
“Out of tricks, sunny?”
“Yes,” growled Solarfox, baring his teeth. He took Bloodwrath by the arms and placed his feet on his stomach. “But this one’s a classic and you’re not coming with me!”
Solarfox pushed his legs with all his might and broke away from the badger, propelling himself straight into the water, however, he turned into light and disappeared. Bloodwrath flailed in the air and propelled the jet pack at full power in the opposite direction to slow his fall. Solarfox emerged from the reflex-porting behind him and landed a solar punch on his back.
The attack destroyed the jet pack and sent the badger into the mud on the shore. Not giving him a second of a chance, Solarfox stepped on his back with a boot and ripped a device from the back of his neck. Fine drops of blood appeared out from between the white hairs. All the villain's wrath was gone. He stared terrified at the shining orange-eyed demon and tried to crawl away.
“I didn't want to do it! He... He put that thing on me and-”
Solarfox grabbed him by the neck and rammed him against a tree trunk.
“Who? Who gave it to you? Who is behind this plan?”
“I don't... I don't know, I swear!” Bloodwrath shrieked in terror.
The apparatus was round with six thin metal legs that flapped in the air. Like an insect, a parasite. Solarfox closed his eyes and sighed. He squeezed his hand, destroying the device and dropping the pieces on the ground. The hand that held the badger by the neck let him go. When Solarfox opened his eyes, they were still fierce, but they didn’t emit glow or hatred. Bloodwrath gratefully whimpered his mercy.
“This is for my brother,” Solarfox said before punching him in the face and knocking him unconscious. “And it's Solarfox, not sunny.”
The light in the tubes dimmed until it went out.
“What's going on?” exclaimed Kilowasp.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Solarvulp landed on the giant's hand and ran using light speed, climbing up the arm and up to the shoulder, where he jumped. As he fell, he summoned a light sword that he inserted into the backpack, destroying it on his descent.
“No, no, no, no” yelled the giant.
“You're not so tough now, are you?” Solarvulp sneered, floating in front of his face.
“You know what? I... I... Oh, heck. Energy went pretty quick. What do you say if we continue this after a break? In five. Five to ten minutes.”
As if suddenly feeling his own weight, Kilowasp slumped over with heavy eyelids. There was a bang and the wasp returned to his natural height. Solarvulp caught him as he fell. The wasp was snoring in a deep sleep.
“You're funny, I like it,” Sun laughed. “We should do it again one day.”
Solarvulp gently descended into the main courtyard of the prison, where guards were already prepared to apprehend Kilowasp. It didn't take long for Solarfox to join in as well, throwing the badger to the ground.
“Light!” Sun exclaimed, throwing himself into his arms.
Light pressed him close and enjoyed his brother's laughter. He ruffled his cerulean hair, looking at him fondly, and forming part of his joy. They had succeeded, together.
“Solarfox,” a guard called. “How did this happen? I thought that-”
“They got help from someone else. Someone powerful and sinister who had already studied them. Guard the prison and patrol the nearby area. I don't think he'll come back here, but at least we can stop him from trying again. We'll have to work more closely.”
The guard nodded and shook his hand. He looked at someone behind Solarfox. Light turned to look at Sun, who had respectfully withdrawn and, for the first time in his life, looked awkward and out of place.
“Looks like you're going to have a lot on your hands.”
“I am.”
Sun nodded and hugged him goodbye.
“I'll give your greetings to Mom and Dad. I'll make sure everyone knows how well you're doing.”
“Actually... I was thinking you could wait. You know, stay a couple more days. I'm going to need all the help I can get. Who knows. Catching this villain could take a long time.”
Sun's eyes expanded more with each word he said until his bright eyes sparkled along with his smile. Light squeezed him to his side.
“And Solarfox and Solarvulp will be there to catch him.”
VII
“This is life!” Sun exclaimed in pleasure, stretching his limbs to the max.
The two brothers were on the terrace of the building, pleasantly set up for barbecues. It was a large, open space, yet out of sight of the street, with a shaded area and a pool. The foxes wore short bikinis, a red one for Light and a blue one for Sun. They were reclining in their chairs under the intense midday shine, enjoying the sunbathing. The pleasant warmth recharged every fiber of their bodies. They could feel the bruises from the previous day slowly fading.
“We're here,” Daniel announced, stepping out into the open air, carrying several square boxes.
“It's not that I don't enjoy the eye candy,” Gwen said, “but would you mind coming here for a moment?”
The brothers left their warm place and sat in the cool shade of the palapa with their friends.
“Oh, you're so warm!” Daniel purred, hugging Sun and rubbing his face on his neck. “Like a blanket fresh out of the dryer.”
“One of these days,” Light warned, “I'm going to hit you hard.”
“ It’s okay. I'm flattered, actually,” Sun replied. “Part of the lessons of the Solar Knights is about pleasure. Self-control, positions, sex. You know, that kind of thing. I can give you so much pleasure that your brain won't stand it.”
Daniel stopped in his tracks. He swallowed nervously.
“Don't worry,” Sun continued, stroking the tiger affectionately. “You're going to like it. But WHAT IS THAT GLORIOUS SMELL?!”
“This, Sun,” Light said with a big smile and taking one of the boxes, “is one of the greatest things on this planet. One of their best inventions. Beauty, pleasure, art, and years of knowledge condensed into one. Sunshine, I'm proud to be the one to introduce you: pizza.”
THE END
Category Story / All
Species Fox (Other)
Gender Any
Size 108 x 120px
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